Cat colour link to allergies?
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The claim: Dark-coloured cats cause more allergies than those with lighter coats.
The facts: Cats are among the most common cause of allergies, affecting twice as many people as dogs do. The sources of these allergies are proteins found in feline dander, urine and saliva.
However, some scientists suspect that the darker a cat's coat, the greater the likelihood it will cause allergic reactions.
Scientists showed this in a small study in 2000, involving 300 patients with allergies. They found that people with dark-coloured cats were two to four times more likely to have moderate to severe symptoms as those who either owned cats with lighter coats or did not own a cat. Additional studies found that female cats produce less animal allergen than male cats.
However, the colour association is not conclusive, said Dr Clifford Bassett of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York, an author of the study. A later study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that the colour of a cat's coat had no effect on how much allergen it produced. Dr Bassett said he and a colleague were planning a larger study.
He advises patients who are allergiv and want to keep their cats to take several measures. If avoiding contact is not possible, allergy shots are effective, along with medication. He also recommends using air filters, keeping the pet out of the bedroom and bathing it often.
The bottom line: Dark-coloured cats may cause more allergies but the link is not conclusive.
Extracted from Mind Your Body dated 9th Sep 2010
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